Best Halloween Fun Runs in the UK

If you’re not a natural born runner, you can guarantee that running can’t get any more fun than around Halloween - add a bit of fancy dress, face paint and a cackle to your regular jog and you’ll soon forget about the actual exercise! There are hundreds of great spooky fun runs around the UK, many taking place in the daytime, as well as a few more terrifying night runs for the thrill-seekers and scream queens. Most are in aid of charity – here are a few we’d like to, ahem, sink our teeth into…

TRICK OR TREAT RUN – LONDON

Ghouls, goblins, ghosts: make sure you check out the Trick or Treat Run on Saturday 28 October. Forget the house of horrors, in this event, Southwark Park becomes a spooky run of horrors! There’s a 2.5 or a 5 kilometre course to choose from, with a scary afternoon run for families and an even spookier evening run for adults. There are some exciting prizes for the most Halloween-tastic costumes and some nasty surprises along the way… do you think you can brave it?!

The evening run ends with a Halloween party, complete with DJ and drinks… if you survive, that is. The run is in aid of Breast Cancer Care and entrance fees apply: £6-£22 depending on your distance and whether your taking part in the afternoon or evening.

SPOOKY SPRINTS – AYLESBURY AND NOTTINGHAM

Parkinson’s UK organises two 'Spooky Sprints' – one at Waddesdon Manor, near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire and Wollaton Hall and Park, in Nottingham. When the sun goes down, the ghouls come out and these events are definitely set to test your fitness, as well as spookability! Choose from 5 or 10 kilometres or make it a real family affair and sign up to the shorter family fun run.

The Waddesdon Manor run took place on 21 October, but there’s still time to get yourself involved in the Wollaton Hall sprint, which takes place on 28 October. You need to raise a bit of sponsorship beforehand - £100 minimum, plus the entrance fee of £5-£35, depending on your distance and age, but it’s certainly worth it. This run is for anyone who loves a bit of spooky fancy dress and navigating their way around with only a head torch to guide the way.

CARDIFF’S HALLOWEEN FUN RUN

Hailey Park in Cardiff is hosting its very first Halloween Fun Run for all the family on Saturday 4 November at 11am – the run caters for all standards and fancy dress is, of course, encouraged! No doubt there might be a few little spooky surprises along the way! This one is definitely a family fun run, with a flat course and only 2 kilometre distance to shriek your way around, so not a good one for the devilishly competitive! Sponsorship forms are provided and all the money raised goes to the Teenage Cancer Trust.

DREAMS COME TRUE SPOOKY FUN RUN – MANCHESTER

Heaton Park in Manchester is hosting a Dreams Come True Halloween Fun Run in aid of the children’s charity ‘Dreams Come True’ on Sunday 29 October 2017. It’s a short run, which begins and ends outside the Grade 1 listed Heaton Hall with plenty of hair-raising spookiness – apparently you must watch out in the tunnel! Afterwards, there is entertainment, refreshments and fun for all the family.

TERRIFYING 10K IN SURREY

On Saturday 28 October Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking, Surrey, is hosting an off road 10 kilometre trail run with hidden tricks, treats and prizes for costumes, as well as for those who reach the finish line! For the daredevils among you there’s a 10 kilometre race and for the more fearful family units there’s a shorter 2 kilometre course. It starts at 10am and there is an entrance fee of £10 for the 2 kilometre run and £20 for the 10 kilometre. Every one who finishes will receive a special luminous medal and a goody bag. Do you need any more reasons to join?

ZOMBIE SURVIVAL RUN – NEWBURY

If you really want to freak yourself out this Halloween, then the 5 kilometre Zombie Survival Run is an absolute must. Thirsty zombies, fake blood and an impending apocalypse of the undead should you fail all await you. Have you got what it takes to survive it? There is a crazy inflatable obstacle course to overcome and each participant is given a tag belt with 3 lives before they set off. The goal is to keep the belt intact as blood-soaked zombies try to grab them. If this year is your year to get completely zombified – Saturday 28 October at Newbury Showground in Berkshire is the destination for you. You can enter as a runner or a zombie. The entrance fee is £32.50 but there are group discounts available if you fancy getting some mates in on the fun.

And, if you’re embarking on a fun run at night which continues into the witching hour, make sure you equip yourself or your kids with some lights; an armband, an LED flasher or even an LED vest should ward the phantoms off nicely.

There are bound to be many more spooky runs local to you – let us know how spooked you get and send us your devilish pictures!

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